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Some Recollections Relating To The Early Pioneer Life Of Logan City And Cache County

SOME RECOLLECTIONS RELATING
TO THE EARLY PIONEER LIFE OF
LOGAN CITY AND CACHE COUNTY
(By Joel Ricks) Dec. 22, 1923
Following is the first of a series of articles written by Mr.
Joel Ricks for publication in The Journal, relative to scenes and
incidents in the early history of this city and county, as related by
those who took part in them and recorded at the time by Mr. Ricks.
Many of the incidents recorded are easily within his own recollection.
They will be found of deepter interest than a conventional historical
record, as they convey the personal impressions of the actors who have
departed from the scene after filling their parts in the most thrilling
ear of the pioneering of this region:
About twenty five years ago I took the trouble to interview a number
of the pioneer settlers of the valley, as to their experiences during
those first years, with a view to preserve to posterity some of the important
events, that do not usually get into print in historic sketches. Most of
those old settlers were plain unassuming people, content to pursue the
even tenor of their ways, without trying to herald their achievements
by buying space in Tullidges Magizine, Jensen's Biographies or Whitney's
Histories. They did not have the money and would not have spent if for
that purpose if they had it. So their biographies are not found there.
I knew the time would come when they would be accorded their true place
in our local history and I wanted them to get their full credit for what
they did. Bishop Thomas X. Smith used to say, "We killed the snakes
fought the Indians, dug the ditches, built the roads, subdued the desert,
and who has a better right to the country than we have?" He might have
added and who is more entitled to credit. Nowhere have I ever seen in
print the names of the men who rode to Franklin on that memorable night,
when their brethren were in trouble there, or who rode out often
in pursuit of the Indians who had run off their stock, or who went back to
the Missouri year after year for immigrants. There was no more heroic
deed done than that performed by Edward Holden, Dick Steele and the boys
who carried the powder from the Sherman bulding on the night of the fire.
All of these things should be preserved as events of pioneer days and full
credit given to the real actors. I notice that there are slight discrepancies
in the narratives of some of the old settlers, but these are usually on
names and dates which can easily be corrected.
EARLY RECOLLECTIONS OF LOGAN
At the close of the year 1858 in Utah, things looked more favorable
for the settlers than they had for several years, peace had been made with
the governament and the settlers had been forgiven for the things they
hadn't done. The army was in winter quarters at Camp Floyd, over in Cedar
Valley. The settlers had returned from "The Move" South, had harvested
their volunteer crops, sold their surplus to the army and with the proceeds
were able to buy a few of the necessities of life, of which they had been
deprived for some time. The presence in the country of a large army had
a very quieting effect upon the Indians, and under this security many
settlers in the older communities between Ogden and Provo began to look
around for suitable locations, where they could secure land to cultivate
and pasturage for their stock. In the North, Cache Valley seemed the most
attractive, and early in the spring of 1859 a good many settlers came

SOME RECOLLECTIONS RELATING
TO THE EARLY PIONEER LIFE OF
LOGAN CITY AND CACHE COUNTY
(By Joel Ricks) Dec. 22, 1923
Following is the first of a series of articles written by Mr.
Joel Ricks for publication in The Journal, relative to scenes and
incidents in the early history of this city and county, as related by
those who took part in them and recorded at the time by Mr. Ricks.
Many of the incidents recorded are easily within his own recollection.
They will be found of deepter interest than a conventional historical
record, as they convey the personal impressions of the actors who have
departed from the scene after filling their parts in the most thrilling
ear of the pioneering of this region:
About twenty five years ago I took the trouble to interview a number
of the pioneer settlers of the valley, as to their experiences during
those first years, with a view to preserve to posterity some of the important
events, that do not usually get into print in historic sketches. Most of
those old settlers were plain unassuming people, content to pursue the
even tenor of their ways, without trying to herald their achievements
by buying space in Tullidges Magizine, Jensen's Biographies or Whitney's
Histories. They did not have the money and would not have spent if for
that purpose if they had it. So their biographies are not found there.
I knew the time would come when they would be accorded their true place
in our local history and I wanted them to get their full credit for what
they did. Bishop Thomas X. Smith used to say, "We killed the snakes
fought the Indians, dug the ditches, built the roads, subdued the desert,
and who has a better right to the country than we have?" He might have
added and who is more entitled to credit. Nowhere have I ever seen in
print the names of the men who rode to Franklin on that memorable night,
when their brethren were in trouble there, or who rode out often
in pursuit of the Indians who had run off their stock, or who went back to
the Missouri year after year for immigrants. There was no more heroic
deed done than that performed by Edward Holden, Dick Steele and the boys
who carried the powder from the Sherman bulding on the night of the fire.
All of these things should be preserved as events of pioneer days and full
credit given to the real actors. I notice that there are slight discrepancies
in the narratives of some of the old settlers, but these are usually on
names and dates which can easily be corrected.
EARLY RECOLLECTIONS OF LOGAN
At the close of the year 1858 in Utah, things looked more favorable
for the settlers than they had for several years, peace had been made with
the governament and the settlers had been forgiven for the things they
hadn't done. The army was in winter quarters at Camp Floyd, over in Cedar
Valley. The settlers had returned from "The Move" South, had harvested
their volunteer crops, sold their surplus to the army and with the proceeds
were able to buy a few of the necessities of life, of which they had been
deprived for some time. The presence in the country of a large army had
a very quieting effect upon the Indians, and under this security many
settlers in the older communities between Ogden and Provo began to look
around for suitable locations, where they could secure land to cultivate
and pasturage for their stock. In the North, Cache Valley seemed the most
attractive, and early in the spring of 1859 a good many settlers came